The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-08-05
CHAPTER XXXII.

The camp was sunk In sleep. Up to the
sky, whittier it was decreed their spirits should
pass before the dark closed in again and hid
their mangled corpses, foated the faint breath
Of some 400 men. There they lay sleeping
the healthy sleep of vigorous manhood, their
brains busy with the fantastic madness of
q hundred dreams, and little recling of the
inevitable morrow. There, in his sleep, the
white man saw his native village, with its tall,
wind swnyed elms, and the gray old church
that for centuries had watched the last slum-
bers of his race; the Kaffer the sunny slope
OF fair Natal, with the bright light dancing
on his cattle's horns and the green of the
gardens where for his well being his wives
and children toiled To some that night came
dreams of high ambition, of brave adventure,
crowned with the perfect triumph we never
reach to some, visions of beloved faces long
since passed away, to some, the reflected light
of a far off home and echoes of the happy
laughter OF little children. And so their
lamps wavered hither and thther in the
spiritual breath of sleep, Pickering wildly, ere
they went out forever.
The night wind swept in sad gusts across
Isandhlwaua's plain, tossing the green grass
which tomorrow would be red. 1t moaned
against Inhlazatyes mountain and died upon
Upindo, flaming the dark faces of a host of
warriors who rested there upon their spears
sharpened for the coming slaughter. And as
it breathed upon them they turned, those
brave soldiers Of U'Cetywayo-"bornt 70 be
killed =" as their saying runs, at Cetywayo's
bidding-and, grasping their assegais, raised
themselves to listen. 1t was nothing, death
was not yet; death for the morrow, sleep for
the night,
A little after o'clock on the morning Of
the 22l of January, Ernest was reused by the
sound of horses loofs and the harsh chal'
lenge of the sentries. "Dispatch from Maj.
Dartnell, was the answer, and the messenger
passed on. Half an hour more and the
reveille was sounded, and the camp hummed
In the darkness like hive OF bees making
ready for the dawn
Soon IL was known that the general and
Col. Glynn were about to move out to the
support of Maj. Dartnell, who reported a
large force of the enemy in front of him,
with six companies of the second battalion Of
the Twenty-fourth regiment, four guns and
the mounted infantry,
At dawn they left.
At s o'clock report arrived from picket,
stationed about mile away on hill to the
north of the camp, that body of Zulus was
| approaching from the northeast.
AT 8 o'clock the enemy showed over the
| crest of the hills for few minutes and then
| disappeared.
At 10 o'clock Col. Durnford arrived from
| Rorke's Drift with a rocket battery and 26O
| mounted native soldiers, and took over the
| command of the camp from Col Pulleine.
AS he came up he stopped for minute &c
speak to Aston, whom he knew, and Ernest
| noticed him. He was a handsome, soldier
like man, with his arm in a sling, long, faiI
mustache and restless, anxious expression oi
face.
| At 1880 Col. Durnford's force, divided int
two portions, was, with the rocket battery
pushed some miles forward to ascertain thI
enemy's movements and a company of tn
| Twenty-fourth was directed to take up
position on the hill about mile TO the norti
of the camp Meanwhile the enemy, whicl
they afterward heard consisted Of the Und
CORPS the Mckenzie and Umcitu regiments
and the Nkobamakosi and ImboAanmbi reg
ments, in all about 10000 men, were reStin
about two miles from lsandhlwana, with n
intention of attacking that day. They ha
not yet been "moutied" doctoredl and th
condition of the moon was not propitious
Unfortunately, however, Col Durnford
mounted Basutus, in pushing forward, cam
fired ON IL, whersupon the Umcitu came int
action, driving Durnford's horse before then
and then engaged the company of u
Twenty fourth, which had been stationed @
the hill TO the north Of the camp, and aft
stubborn resistance annihilating 1t. 1t WI
followed by the Mckenzie, lmbonanmbi an
Nkobamakosi regiments, who executed
fianking movement and threatened the froi
Of the camp, For while the Undi corp
| which formed the chest a the army, held
ground, Then it marched off to the rig
| and directed its course to the north
} Isandhlwana mountain, with the object
turning the position.
Meanwhile, the remaining companies
the Twenty fourth were advanced to vario
positions In front Of the camp, and engag
the enemy, for while holding him in chec
/ the two guns under Maj. Smith shelling :
> Mckenzie regiment, which formed his Ii
I center, with great effect. The shells could
: seen bursting amid the dense masses of Zul,
( who were coming on slowly and In perf'
o silence, making large gaps in their ranl
r which instantly closed up over the dead.
Q AT this point the advance Of the Undi re
!, ment n tho Zulu right and the English i
& was reported, and Alston's Horse was order
: 10 proceed and If possible to check it, 4
Q cordlngly they left, and riding behind I
: company of the Twenty-fourth on the b
L ] to the north OF the camp which was N
: hotlY engaged with the gmcitu, and Dul